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King Fans Pay Extra

Stephen King fans, frightened about being cut off from the author's online serial novel, have been sending extra cash to cover for freeloaders. Amazon.com, which is processing the payments for King, says some readers have been ponying up extra money--$2, $10 and even $20--to make up for less honorable readers who downloaded the files without paying. About 76% of readers are volunteering to pay the $1 King is asking for each copy--just above the amount King says he wants for the project to continue--so the project appears set to continue for now. The second installment of "The Plant" became available Monday.